


we could leave the christmas lights up 'til january

by ruthlessgame



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Modern AU, and adora isn't, catra is kinda a grinch, they have matching sweaters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:49:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21959149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruthlessgame/pseuds/ruthlessgame
Summary: Maybe it’s the fact that Adora’s been playing All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey on repeat for the past month, maybe it’s the fact that their three year anniversary is just around the corner, or maybe it’s because Christmas has somewhat grown on her since living with Adora (as much as she hates to admit it).But when she walks to her car in the evenings, her eyes linger on the Zales across the street more than usual.-or Adora is obsessed with Christmas and Catra is exasperated, but mostly in love.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 279





	we could leave the christmas lights up 'til january

**Author's Note:**

> hey! i haven't written a fic in a while but this is for my good friend audrey, who really wanted a christmas catradora au. merry christmas, i love you so much! i hope u like it <3
> 
> i wrote this while listening to lover by taylor swift, so the title is naturally from there. 
> 
> enjoy y'all and merry christmas! :]

Adora is putting up mistletoe when Catra walks into their apartment.

“Adora,” Catra grumbles, setting down her tote bag and carelessly throwing her keys into the patterned bowl placed conveniently next to the doorway. She crosses her arms and watches Adora curse as the mistletoe falls from the ceiling.

When they had first moved in together half a year ago, Catra had misplaced her keys nearly every day for a solid month until Adora bought a bowl from Target. It was from Magnolia - Adora’s favorite home decor brand by that one HGTV couple she watched on lazy Saturday afternoons - and had awkwardly placed it onto their kitchen counter. Catra had teased her about it for a couple of days afterward, but wouldn’t admit it was pretty helpful. 

“What?” Adora asks innocently, not turning around from where she haphazardly slaps a ball of tape onto the ceiling. She’s standing on a chair that seems to be the wobbly one in their set of four from how much it sways under her. Catra holds the bridge of her nose between her fingers at the sight; she is going to witness Adora break a leg over a useless Christmas decoration when Catra begged her to not go all out. 

Christmas is in a month, and Adora is already in the zone. She had bought them both matching ugly sweaters the other day on impulse for an upcoming Christmas party Mermista was throwing. Catra is obviously going to wear it because Adora _knows_ how much of a fool she is for her. However, Adora had agreed she’d limit herself on decorations, but here she is grumbling as she hangs mistletoe in their living room. 

She thinks of begging again from where she stands but instead resorts to clicking her tongue at the sight of Adora's struggle. 

“You’re going to fall,” Catra sighs, walking over next to Adora. She puts a hand on her hip and squeezes it, just to hold her steady. She doesn’t want Adora getting hurt. “I thought we agreed the Christmas tree was enough?”

Adora’s tongue is poking out as she barely nods, her face red from frustration as she holds down the ball of tape against the string in hopes that it would _somehow_ hold the mistletoe up. She is focused on getting the damn thing to hang. It - of course - flutters to the carpet next to Catra’s feet. Catra looks down at the failed attempt and back up to cock an eyebrow at Adora. 

Adora groans. “Can you pass me that?”

Catra picks it up and holds it between her fingers, frowning at it before passing it back to her. “We agreed the Christmas tree and the fucking _Santa throw pillows_ were enough.” 

Adora plucks it from her hand with a small smirk on her face, before leaning down to briefly cradle Catra’s cheek with her other hand. Catra’s stomach swoops. She melts into the touch as Adora runs a thumb across her skin, and Adora shoots her a soft smile before pulling away to cut more pieces of tape. 

Catra guesses that Adora notices the small grumble she lets out at the loss of contact because she lets out a high pitched laugh as she stands back up on the chair. 

“You’re such a grinch. It’s just a tiny plant.” Adora smiles with all white teeth, her focus back on the mistletoe. Catra glares up at her. 

Catra enjoys Christmas - yeah - but _casually._ Unlike Adora - who wouldn’t hesitate to put up a Christmas tree the day after Halloween - Catra has limits.

“I just think it’s tacky,” Catra whines, putting her hand back on Adora’s hip and rubbing at the exposed skin from where her shirt drew up. “I just came home from the studio after a long day, and you’re paying more attention to hanging a stupid leaf than to _me._ ”

Adora shivers at her touch but still doesn’t look at her as she tapes the string holding the mistletoe to the ceiling in an x-formation. “This stupid leaf is going to be a catalyst to many, many makeout sessions, Catra. You should be _ecstatic._ ”

Catra rolls her eyes. “Okay, you’re funny if you think I’m kissing you under that thing.”

“Yes, you are. It’s Christmas tradition and Santa will beat your ass at 12 AM on Christmas Day if you don’t kiss me.” Finally, the mistletoe doesn’t fall to the floor, and Catra watches Adora pull her hands back to stare proudly at her handiwork. Catra scoffs bitterly before quickly walking over to the kitchen to heat up some leftover takeout, shaking her head as Adora begins to sing Mariah Carey. Adora would probably try to kiss her unexpectedly if she stayed next to her, and Catra refuses to give in. 

“Did you walk away to not kiss me?” Adora laughs. 

Catra shrugs, opening the fridge. “You can kiss me here.”

-

“You’re the one who asked out a person who _loves_ Christmas.” Adora happily points out with Catra trudging beside her. They are at Michaels the next day to buy - you guessed it - more _Christmas decorations._ The aisles are tall and filled with gingerbread house kits, ornaments, and assortments of other Christmas crap. Catra shivers as she passes by a wooden statue of Santa Claus; _Who the hell buys that?_ she can’t help but wonder in horror. 

She looks back at Adora - who has abruptly stopped to gaze at mason jars with tiny snowmen painted on them. She can easily vision one in their bathroom holding their toothbrushes by Adora’s suggestion. 

“And you were the one who grabbed my ass first and you knew that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Christmas so who has the upper hand here?”

“Catra,” Adora snaps, her face flushed as a mother with a stroller shoots them an odd stare from across the aisle. “We’re in public.”

“I’m just saying.” Catra smirks and Adora glares at her, but her eyes are bright at Catra’s jab. She looks back at the jars and reaches out to grab one with a gingerbread man. 

“Catra,” Adora says with excitement laced in her voice. It’s gone high-pitched. “We should use this for our toothbrushes! We’ve been needing another cup-”

Catra saw it coming. She lets out an exaggerated sigh and succumbs to Adora’s excitement, letting out a grumbled ‘Sure, get it’.

Adora smiles and pecks her cheek quickly before placing it in their shopping cart and mumbling about the gingerbread house kit she saw at the entrance. Catra’s face is beet red, and she can’t help but think _Damnit, Adora._

-

  
  


While Adora and Catra are out shopping for Christmas gifts a week later, Catra suggests they buy hot chocolate from Starbucks. It’s been a while since they’ve had a drink from there, so they take a detour to the one around the corner from the craft store they’d been poking through. Catra wanted to buy their mutual friend Scorpia a set of paintbrushes since she had recently gotten into painting. Although Catra wasn’t the biggest fan of Christmas, she _obviously_ bought her friends and family gifts. She wouldn’t admit it to Adora - who swore she was nothing but a grinch - but seeing their reactions to what she got them was rewarding. If you were to ask Catra, she’d say she was an expert at knowing what people wanted. 

Catra watches Adora pull down her hood and let out a content sigh as they enter the warm building. It’s been raining the past few days, and Adora’s nose shines red as she brings her hand to stealthily rub on it - a habit Catra used to be disgusted by but has now grown fond of. She lets out a couple of sniffles before turning to smile at Catra. “Ready to order?”

Catra nods and her heart can’t help but flutter as Adora uses the same fucking hand to grab her own and lead her to the front where the line forms, babbling about the sugar cookies on display. 

“We made some yesterday, Adora.” Catra points out as Adora stares longingly at a snowflake cookie. Adora’s always had a sweet tooth. Catra can’t count on one hand the number of times she’s had to drag her out of a cafe since Adora has the impulse to buy five pastries at a time. 

“Okay, but they weren’t that pretty.” Adora pouts with her pretty pink lips and Catra’s heart flutters _again._ Adora will be the death of her. 

“Okay, just one.” She says after a moment and Adora beams. 

They end up taking 5 cookies home. 

-

Later that day, Catra is taking off her hoodie in the living room when Adora comes up behind her.

“We are both under the mistletoe,” Adora whispers in her ear, her arms pulling Catra into a tight embrace from behind. Catra had forgotten it was even there. 

Catra gags. “Fuck no.” She will not give in to all the festivities. 

She dodges Adora’s lips just in time and instead receives a wet kiss on her cheek. 

“Hey!” Adora grumbles as Catra darts from under her arms and onto the couch. 

“You can come kiss me here.”

-

  
  


Catra works at a studio on weekdays where she leads people through painting, sketching, knitting - through any craft, really. Multiple people come through every day, some seeking to just sketch individually while others come in altogether looking for something to do on a Friday night. Sometimes students from the city’s school district will come in for a field trip, and those days are Catra’s favorites. 

Catra finds herself content at the end of each workday, and can’t help but think of Adora as she packs up to leave every night when her mind starts to wander. She thinks of her red cheeks, the way she combs her fingers through her hair after she takes off her ponytail, and how she gasped in her mouth during their first kiss a couple of years back. She thinks of how it led to a fit of giggles between the both of them that resulted in awkward kisses, but her heart flutters every time she recalls it. 

Maybe it’s the fact that Adora’s been playing All I Want For Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey on repeat for the past month, maybe it’s the fact that their three year anniversary is just around the corner, or maybe it’s because Christmas has somewhat grown on her since living with Adora (as much as she hates to admit it). 

But when she walks to her car in the evenings, her eyes linger on the Zales across the street more than usual.

-

Adora puts on How the Grinch Stole Christmas for Catra one evening.

It’s the week before Christmas, and Adora convinces her to go on a movie marathon with her. Catra - of course - agrees. When doesn’t she agree with Adora?

However, when Catra comes back from using the bathroom after Home Alone 2 - she’s met with the opening screen of the Grinch on their DVD player. 

“Adora,” she squints her eyes at Adora staring sheepishly at her from the couch. It’s dark in the living room, but the light of the TV still allows her to see how Adora laughs under her breath. She thinks it’s a joke. 

“You need to learn a lesson,” Adora simply replies and Catra plops down next to her, smirking at the small _oof_ Adora lets out when she accidentally hits her leg in the process.

“I’m not a grinch. I’ve told you _many_ times I just don’t like tacky decorations and fucking Mariah Carey.”

“You don’t have to fuck Mariah Carey, no one is forcing you to-“

“ _Adora,_ I won’t hesitate to tear off the mistletoe.”

“ _Catra,”_ Adora mocks and lets out a squeal when Catra starts tickling her from the side. 

The Grinch doesn’t play until an hour later after they both have swollen lips and Catra can’t stop smiling.

-

They’re at Mermista’s Christmas party. It’s the day before Christmas Eve, and Catra watches Adora drink her second glass of red wind as she sways along to Taylor Swift with Glimmer. She’s in her ugly Christmas sweater - the one with Santa surfing on a beach - and her hair is down. It hugs her face so nicely and Catra feels like she’s falling as Adora laughs obnoxiously loud at something Bow whispers to her. Her blue eyes are shining amongst all the colored lights, and her lips are plump and red as she talks along with their friends. 

Catra looks down at her own matching Christmas sweater; it depicts Santa sunbathing on a beach, and she finds herself not minding the lights and the tacky candles next to her as she sips on her eggnog alone in the corner, watching Adora clumsily dance and make Tiktoks with Bow. 

Mermista must catch her staring the whole night, because as they’re leaving the party at 2 AM and Catra holds a drunk Adora who’s falling asleep against her arm - Mermista pulls her in to whisper in her ear,” Might as well marry her.” 

-

Adora wakes up on Christmas Eve with a hangover. 

Catra looks up from the couch at 12 PM to see her stumbling through the hallway, a hand to her head as she groans repeatedly: “Catra, why’d you let me drink?”

Catra laughs at the sight and beckons Adora to crawl into her arms, runs her fingers through her hair and kisses her nose softly. 

“I’ll make you some coffee,” she says quietly and doesn’t miss the way Adora rubs her face against her stomach happily. Butterflies dance where Adora’s eyelids flutter closed against her and Catra runs her fingers along her eyebrows - melting at how Adora opens her gray-blue eyes to grin at her. 

She loves her so much it makes her ache.

They lay like that for the whole afternoon, watching reruns of The Office until Catra has to get up to make them both dinner. 

Catra makes an excuse to use the bathroom before she starts cooking - eyeing Adora discreetly to make sure she’s watching TV before secretly heading to their bedroom. She tiptoes over to their closet (which is thankfully open, bless Adora for never closing anything) and digs for a coat she hardly wears that hangs to the far left. She lets out a shaky breath and slides her hand in its pocket, sighing in relief when she feels the small black box there. 

-

On Christmas morning as Catra is handing Adora a gift, Adora points out they’re under the mistletoe together.

“Shit,” Catra curses. She’s suddenly hit with a realization, and her breath hitches as Adora eyes her with laughter in her eyes. 

“It’s Christmas,” Adora singsongs. Catra secretly feels at her pajama pocket and Adora doesn’t notice. It wasn’t her plan to propose now but -

“Can I at least get _one_ kiss, Catra?”

They’ve been here dozens of times. Catra has squirmed away from Adora for the past month whenever they happen to stand under the mistletoe at the same time, has avoided it the best she could. It’s different this time though, it’s different because - 

Catra shakes her head no and watches as Adora’s perfect shoulders sag at her response, watches as Adora begins to mumble something about how she’ll get one kiss out of her by tonight when Catra gets on one knee to pull out a black box and -

Adora stops talking.

“Catra?” Adora gasps, dropping the gift in her hand. It lets out a glass-breaking noise when it hits the floor, and Catra grimaces because that was the Magnolia sugar container she had bought her from Target. _It’s fine,_ she thinks. _It’s not like it’s as expensive as this ring._

Catra looks down at the golden band in the box that holds a sapphire in the middle, before looking back up at Adora shyly. 

“Will you marry me?”

It’s quiet for a moment, and Catra barely has any time to react to Adora’s resounding ‘yes’ before Adora crashes into her body, sending them both onto the floor and bits of wrapping paper.

Adora kisses her breathlessly, and Catra feels everything fall into place, feels her heart swelling as Adora smiles against her lips, as the lights on their tree flicker and runs patterns across Adora’s beaming face and Adora gives her one last kiss before pulling back to cackle.

“You kissed me under the mistletoe.”

Catra smiles. 

“Just this one time, princess.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank u for reading! kudos r v much appreciated :3 have a happy holiday and be safe!


End file.
